Leveling means for a lap tray



March 10, 1959 I A. E. MALMER LEVELING MEANS FOR A LAP TRAY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 26, 1956 FIGI INVENTOR. ALBERT E. MALMER ATTORNEYS.-

March 10, 1959 A. E. MALMER LEVELING MEANS FOR A LAP TRAY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 26, 1956 IN VENTOR.

ALBERT E. MALMER ATTORNEYS- or tip ,over.

LEVELING MEANS FOR A LAP TRAY Albert E. Malmer, Blue Island, Ill.

Application October 26, 1956, Serial No. 618,542

8 Claims. (Cl. 311-25) My invention relates to trays in which food or beverages are served informally, this being done by depositing the tray on the guests lap. While one often manages to keep a tray so deposited level or nearly so, do-

ing this is frequently difficult, and there is always'the danger that the articles on the tray will slide forward Various devices have been developed to adjust the tray to a horizontal position, but such of .these devices as have come to my attention are either .ner to maintain its position at any point of adjustment and keep the tray steady.

Another object is to construct the device with means to adapt it readily to trays of conventional size.

An important object, is to employ a minimum number of parts in the assembly of the device.

With the above objects in view, a better understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Fig. l is a front elevation of a conventional serving tray;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1, showing the manner in which the tray as equipped with the novel device is suspended on a wall;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the tray, showing the device attached to it;

Fig. 4 is a view from the right-hand side of Fig. 1, and similar to Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an elevation showing the tray and the device adjusted to a gradually sloping lap;

Fig. 6 is a similar view, showing the assembly ad justed to a steeper lap;

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 77 of Fig. 1, showing the tray in horizontal position and the device set in readiness for use;

, Fig. 8 is a section in the right-hand portion of Fig. 7, illustrating a clamping device;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the tray supp'ortsin the device, showing a bearing for the support;

Fig. 10 is an end view of the support and the bearing;

Figs. 11 and 12 are, respectively, sections on the lines .11 11'and 1212 of Fig. 10; .Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing a tray made with the adjusting device;

Figs. 14 and 15 are, respectively, sections on the lines 14-14 and 15-15 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 16 is a side elevation of a modified supporting member; and

Fig. 17 is a section on the line 1717 of Fig. 16.

In accordance with the foregoing, specific reference United States Patent 0 Q 1 Patented Mar. 10, 1959 ice to the drawings indicates a typical serving tray at 25. Trays of this type usually come in two or three sizes, and it is intended that the preferred form of the invention be made as an attachment and in sizes corresponding to those of the trays.

Primarily, the attachment is in the form of a frame 27 of fiat metal stock, and bent with end pieces 28. These are attached by means of screws 30 to a wooden rail 32, such rail completing the frame. The upper side of the rail receives a pair of rubber buttons 33.

The frame 27 is designed to be attached to any serving tray of corresponding size by means of a wire clamp 35. As shown in Fig. 3, the frame 27 is applied to the bottom of the tray from underneath; and the wire clamp 35 extends longitudinally within the frame to pass through holes 37 in. the end pieces 28 and terminate with a pair of clips 38. These are designed to grip the rim of the tray, as shown in Fig. 7; and the lower portions 39 of the clips are rounded to form finger pieces for the handling of the clips. The wire clamp 35 includes a coil spring 40. Thus, by drawing the clips apart, they can be engaged with the rim of the tray. With the frame 27 applied as shown in Figs. 3 and 7, the wire clamp ,position. This position of the tray may be maintained by rotating .a pairof blocks 47 situated along the end pieces 28 from the horizontal position shown inFig. 3 to the substantially vertical position shown in Fig. 5. Thus, the blocks now will form supporting elements for the frontal portion of the tray upon the lap 45; and the blocks are grooved in the bottom, as indicatedat 48,- to afford a finger grip when adjusting the block. It is noted that the top of each block is slightly beveled to accommodate itself to the bottom of the tray 25.

It will be understood that the purpose of having the blocks 47 in the horizontal position initially is to position them flatly or against the bottom of the tray for compact wrapping or shipping. Each block 47 is made with a bore 50 for the passage of the corresponding end piece 28. While the aforesaid rotation of the block is feasible by mounting the same as stated, a bearing for it is provided to counteract possible angular motion. Thus, the bearing is formed by two strips 52 of sheet material placed on opposite sides of the end piece 28 and passing through the block 47, as shownv in Fig. 3. The strips are of right angle form and have rounded corners in engagement with the wall of the bore .50. In addition, the strips 52 are recessed in the said corners, as indicated at 53, so that the outer portions of the strips overlap the ends of the blocks 47 and prevent the strips from sliding out of the blocks.

With the block situated as just described, it may, however, he slid as assembled with the strips 52 along the end piece 28. Thus, with the block assemblies located at a forward point, as in Fig. 5, the tray 25 is maintained in a horizontal position where the person's lap has a gradual slope. However, where the inclination of the lap is more pronounced, as in Fig. 6, it is only necessary to slide the blocks 47 rearwardly to take up the angle to a degree maintaining the tray in a horizontal position.

It may be of advantage to manufacture the tray in enemas 'tegrally with the adjusting device as a modification, in which event the rail 32 would be'permanently attached to the tray, and the frame27 would pivot on screws 60 driven from the end pieces 28 into the ends of the rail, as indicated in fig. 13. While the spring clamp 35-40 in the first described form of the invention served to draw the frame 27 :and the blocks 47 to the tray, the modification of Figs. 13 'to 15 employs angle springs 62 in the corners between the end pieces 28 and the rail 32, these serving to urge the frame toward the tray.

Figs. 16 and 17 show a modification of the blocks 47 where it is desired that the frame 27 be made of round rod stock instead of fiat stock. In such case, it is preferable that the block be provided with a friction element to maintain it at any position to which it is set, anda simple form of such element is a spring-backed ball 65 lodged in a cavity .66 made longitudinally of the block. The frame rod 68 passes through a crossbore '70 ma'de in the block, and it is understood that the ball 65 -'--will have sufficient frictional contact with the surface of the rod to maintain the block as set.

It will now be apparent that the novel adjusting device, in either of its applications, is 'a compact undermounting for serving trays to adapt .them readily to the inclination of the users lap. The adjustment of the tray does not involve the use of screws, springs or other delicate mechanisms; and positive means are employed to secure such adjustment in the form of the slidable blocks 47. These are located at the sides of the tray for handy reach with the fingers. Finally, the adjusting device is a compact accessory involving few and simple parts, and therefore of a nature to be produced at {relatively low cost.

1 -While I have described the invention and its modifications along specific lines, various minor changes or refinements may be made therein without departing from its principle, and I reserve the right to employ all such changes and refinements as may come within .the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

' I claim:

1. A lap tray leveling device adapted to be secured to the underside of a tray comprising a base member ;having at least two leg portions, means pivotally securing said legs to said tray, and means slidably engaging 'said legs and movable the length thereof to position said base at varying angles in its pivotal movement whereby said tray is maintained in a horizontal position.

2. A lap tray leveling device adapted to be secured -to the underside of a tray comprising a base member having at least two leg portions, means pivotally securin'g said legs to said tray, and a pair of elongated blocks having a bore therethrough slidably engaging said legs and movable the length thereof to position said'base at varying angles in its pivotal movement whereby said tray is maintained in a horizontal position.

3. A lap tray leveling device adapted to be secured to the underside of a tray comprising a base member having at least two leg portions, means pivotally se- 'curing said legs to said tray, spring means urging said legs in contact with said tray, and a pair of elongated member having legs and a bight portion, means pivotal- 1y securing said legs at their free ends to said tray,

"spring means urging said legs in contact with said tray,

and a pair of elongated blocks having a bore therethrough slidably engaging said legs and movable the length thereof to position said base at varying angles in its pivotal movement whereby said tray is maintained in a horizontal position.

5. A lap tray leveling device adapted to be detachably secured to the underside of trays of varying sizes comprising a U-shaped base member having legs and a bight portion, spring means urging said legs in contact with said tray and terminating in tray gripping brackets, and means slidably engaging said legs and movable the length thereof whereby said legs and bight portion are capable of being raised and lowered relative to said tray to maintain said tray in a horizontal position.

6. A lap tray leveling device adapted to be detachably secured to the underside of trays of varying sizes comprising a U-shaped base member having legs and a bight portion, spring means urging said legs in contact with said tray and terminating in tray gripping brackets,

and a pair of elongated blocks having a bore therethrough slidably engaging said legs and movable the length thereof whereby said legs and bight portion are capable of being raised and lowered relative to said tray to main tain said tray in a horizontal position. i

7. A lap tray leveling device adapted to be detachably securedto the underside of trays of varying sizes comprising a U-shaped base member of strap material having legs and a bight portion, spring means urging said legs in contact with said tray and terminatingin tray gripping brackets, a pair of elongated blocks having a cylindrical bore therethrough slidably engaging-said legs and movable the length thereof whereby said legs and bight portion are capable of being raised and lowered relative to said tray to maintain said tray in a horizontal position, said blocks being rotatable on ,saidfilegs to horizontal position seating the tray compactly on the frame, and guides in said bores to maintain said blocks in uniform position on said legs.

8. A lap tray leveling device adapted to be detachably secured to the underside of trays of varying sizes comprising a U-shaped base member of cylindrical-stock having legs and a bight portion, spring means urging said legs in contact with said tray and terminating in tray gripping brackets, a pair of elongated blocks having a cylindrical bore therethrough slidably engaging said legs and movable the length thereof whereby said legs and bight portion are capable of being raised and lowered relative to said tray to maintain said tray in a horizontal position, said blocks being rotatable onsaid legs 'to horizontal position seating the tray compactly on the frame, and said blocks having leg gripping means therein comprising a ball tensioned against said leg by a spring whereby said blocks are maintained in uniform position on said legs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,662,163 Norqhist. Mar. 13, 1928 1,675,794 Coleman July 3, 1928 1,875,642 Morgan Sept. 6, 1932 1,942,603 Johnson Jan. 9, 1934 1,975,857 McKenney Oct. 9, 1934 2,039,922 Neats et al. May 5, 1936 2,563,671 Basingcr Aug. 7, 1951 2,640,747 Bodenhofi June 2, 1953 2,697,018 Georgides Dec. 14,1954 

